Many professions have a cinematic masterpiece to call their own. Cops have Training Day, NBA players have Space Jamand now finally the strippers have Hustlers. Okay, not really but they do have a really fun flick.

Hustlers is about Destiny (Constance Wu), a new stripper trying to find her way at a new club. It’s not long before veteran dancer Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) links up with her, becoming her mentor. Tough times hit the economy and they soon team up with the other girls to do what they do the best, hustle.

Guys, don’t take your girls to this as your gonna be heavy breathing (from the plot of course) a lot like they were to Magic Mike. Do so at your own risk, because you’ll be terrorized more than the kids in IT for the coming weeks.

There’s a lot of fun and comedic sequences throughout the film to highlight the wild world of a strip club. The douche clients will have you rooting for our girls to screw them more than those guys want to screw the dancers. However, the movie kinda stalls at a certain point and crash lands when it comes to the anticlimactic finish.

All They Really Need is Some Money

This movie rides off the back of its colorful characters that come in & out of the film. They help to downplay some of the more serious aspects of you know, drugging and robbing guys.

Cardi B plays…Cardi B in this film is energetic and spicy. She’s not in it long, but she’s arguably apart of the films best section.

The movie hits a peak early on and coasts until the credits roll. This is not necessarily a bad thing as it stays entertaining and funny, but it never really switches gears.

By the time the anticlimactic ending hits, it was clear the film was just about “a day in life” type story. Either that or the strippers drugged the editor too and they forgot a couple of parts to the ending.

J-Lo is actually giving a good performance in the film. She has been clowned on for decades for having the acting of a deer in headlights. She fully engrosses herself in the part.

Yet, after a certain point Hustlers maximizes the use out of Ramona, only to continue giving her screentime, when there are other girls that needed it.

Constance Wu is great in the film as she goes from innocent to being corrupted by Ramona. They are both genuinely friends but have an interesting dynamic at times of who is manipulating the other.

Deeper Than Rap

There are some pretty hilarious moments throughout the film. There’s one where a guy went away form his wife, practically went to the center of the Earth, for a phone call with one of the strippers. This is like a “can you hear me now?” commercial but for cheaters, so it’s more like “can she hear me still?”

Director Lorene Scafaria has some really beautiful shots in the film. The lighting and locations have this extra flare because of the way she showcases them.

There are some really clever transitions that went over a lot of audience members. The standout example happens when a character turns off an audio recorder, so the audience can only see what’s happening on screen.

My theatre was screaming for the ushers to fix the sound and that had me dying of laughter. Watching the audience members having to explain to others what just happened is gold. If this film wasn’t a PSA to stay in school, that moment definitely was.

That all speaks to Hustlers being deeper than what it appears to be on the surface level like Magic Mike. Unfortunately, some of the deeper emotional moments later on flat because of weak dialogue that is only highlighted more by their extended scenes.

There are some effective emotional parts like when Destiny desperately chatting with a client, then calls her daughter “it” and lies about watching her for a friend. Those moments hit hard and get you invested in the characters.

Okurrr, I Got into This One

Verdict: Hustlers is a solid, entertaining and funny film that stumbles near the finish. It’s worth a watch and the bad aspects like some emotional scenes falling flat don’t take detract too much from the good time.

I wouldn’t mind seeing this again as it really was fun, even though that weaker last third stalls out and felt like an afterthought.

What’s the best wild crime film you ever watched? What do you think about Hustlers? Has there ever been any good stripper movies? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

Hustlers Review

Inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients.(via IMDB)

Overall Score

Good

Pros:

Colorful characters

Funny Sequences

Great directing

Cons:

Flat emotional scenes

Seemingly Rushed ending

Underutilized cast

Your Rating:User Rating:

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/hustlers-review-the-godfather-of-stripper-flicks/feed/0Nioh 2 Release Date Drops in One Action Packed TGS 2019 Trailerhttps://thenerdstash.com/nioh-2-release-date-drops-in-one-action-packed-tgs-2019-trailer/
https://thenerdstash.com/nioh-2-release-date-drops-in-one-action-packed-tgs-2019-trailer/#disqus_threadWed, 11 Sep 2019 23:01:53 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=113530Team Ninja’s Nioh 2 is carving up some of that sweet TGS 2019 attention by serving a chaotic new trailer, release date and much more. Koei Tecmo announced Nioh 2 at PlayStation’s E3 conference last year and has been mostly silent on the project since then. The U.S PlayStation YouTube account briefly uploaded the TGS […]

]]>Team Ninja’sNioh 2 is carving up some of that sweet TGS 2019 attention by serving a chaotic new trailer, release date and much more.

Koei Tecmo announced Nioh 2 at PlayStation’s E3 conference last year and has been mostly silent on the project since then. The U.S PlayStation YouTube account briefly uploaded the TGS Nioh 2 trailer before removing it quicker than “that other Destiny Child’s member” we all can’t name.

But, this is the internet folks and once something is on there, it’s on there. The hunting & gathering days are over, some YouTubers have ripped the trailer and have reuploaded for everyone to watch.

The trailer gave a release window of early 2020 with fresh footage There’s a lot of fire, slicing and dicing of new monsters complied with foreign words I don’t understand. Check it out below.

Nioh 2’s game director Fumihiko Yasuda said the sequel would let players pick their race and gender with more character customizations. This is not the only new feature coming to the game, the main character will be able to transform into Yokai and be to take it into the Dark Realm.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/nioh-2-release-date-drops-in-one-action-packed-tgs-2019-trailer/feed/0Final Fantasy 7 Remake Gets Wild in New TGS Trailerhttps://thenerdstash.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-gets-wild-in-new-tgs-trailer/
https://thenerdstash.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-gets-wild-in-new-tgs-trailer/#disqus_threadWed, 11 Sep 2019 20:04:19 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=113517Pause trash-talking on anime forums for a sec; The Tokyo Game Show is in full effect with the latest Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer dropping some explosive footage on fans. The character-heavy trailer sets up the different conflicts while revealing Reno and the Turks. The number of cutscenes in this trailer would even make Kojima […]

]]>Pause trash-talking on anime forums for a sec; The Tokyo Game Show is in full effect with the latest Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer dropping some explosive footage on fans.

The character-heavy trailer sets up the different conflicts while revealing Reno and the Turks. The number of cutscenes in this trailer would even make Kojima blush.

This Final Fantasy 7 Remake trailer shows more of the real-time combat system introduced the E3 trailer. This remake throws away that turn-based system the series is known for to switch to an “Active Time Battle.” FFXV has the same system, which has received mixed fan reactions.

The Final Fantasy series has had mini-games mixed in with the turn-based combat like the Chocobo races in FFX. The latest round of mini-games revealed arrives in the form of boxing and pull mini-games. There are likely to be more as the release draws closer.

Hands Behind The Giant Sword

This updated remake of the 1997 original FF7 sees Tetsuya Nomura taking the reigns. Nomura is best known for his work on the Kingdom Hearts series as the director on all three main entries.

However, this isn’t Nomura’s first dive into Final Fantasy as he was the director for the animated film, Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children. Nomura got his start on Final Fantasy IV as a debugger before moving up as a character designer for Final Fantasy 7, and eventually director for 2016’s FFXV.

Ever thought of selling a kidney? You might want to as this remake is only the first part of multiple releases. The Final Fantasy 7 Remake is scheduled to drop March, 3rd, 2020.

What’s the best Final Fantasy game ever created? Are you excited about this remake? Do you think Normua’s work on FF has been great, terrible or somewhere between? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/final-fantasy-7-remake-gets-wild-in-new-tgs-trailer/feed/0It Chapter Two Review: A Strong Reminder to Give Clowns The Middle Fingerhttps://thenerdstash.com/it-chapter-two-review-a-strong-reminder-to-give-clowns-the-middle-finger/
https://thenerdstash.com/it-chapter-two-review-a-strong-reminder-to-give-clowns-the-middle-finger/#disqus_threadFri, 06 Sep 2019 20:56:48 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=113041Title: It Chapter Two Release Date: September 6th, 2019 Studio: New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. Pictures Director: Andy Muschietti Release Format: Theatrical There’s a fine line between being captivated and captive with It Chapter Two walking both lines in a twisted, yet heartwarming tale. It Chapter Two picks up over two decades where the original left […]

There’s a fine line between being captivated and captive with It Chapter Two walking both lines in a twisted, yet heartwarming tale.

It Chapter Two picks up over two decades where the original left off. The Losers’ Club is now all grown up, living happy (mostly) in different cities. Then, one day they all get a call to return home to fulfill their blood oath, finish off Pennywise for good or die trying.

The film is a terrifying movie that had my body contorting in ways I’ve only seen at a circus and bedrooms. They are going for cerebral scares still but now that bag of tricks as extended to some messed up stuff that’s about to have night light sales blow up.

However, as scary and funny as Chapter 2 is, the movie is way too long. Really, by the time the credits hit, I thought I would be writing a retrospective, instead of a review. Instead of feeling like Steve Rogers at the end of Winter Soldier, I felt like Steve Rogers at the finish of Endgame from the film’s length.

The Squad Runs Deep

All the actors are terrific in this movie as they nail the adult versions of the Losers’ Club. They picked up on all the little mannerisms from the kid actors in the original and updated them. So you’re not just watching a bunch man-children (and women) like it’s a Will Ferrell flick, but rather natural progressions of those characters.

I love all the leads here as much as I did in the original. James McAvoy as Bill is great playing the leader that carries the weight of everyone on his shoulders. The little studder and other ticks he develops as his character reverts to are comparable to his great Split work. Jessica Chastain as Beverly plays a heavily traumatized individual well, but unfortunately, her story arc is left on the back burner. Chastain does get a standout scene in one of the most intense Pennywise encounters in Chapter 2.

Bill Hader and James Ransone are the best parts of the movie as Ritchie and Eddie, respectively. They bring some great levity as well as some of the most emotional scenes offered in the film. Every time Hader was on screen, you knew you were about to get gold. If there’s one thing this It Chapter Two gets right is making you invested in its diverse characters.

Bill Skarsgard plays Pennywise wonderfully with ample screentime to terrify, entertain, and create some of the weirdest moments this year at the theatres. But, let’s talk about how cover boy Pennywise is the Roadrunner of horror flicks, he is a terrible killer. While he does rack up a body count here, there are so many times he’s about to kill someone, only to then randomly mess with a passing butterfly or something. Pennywise had 27 years to get meds for his ADHD to focus on killing but instead spent that time learning a new jig.

Who’s Reimbursing Me for New Underwear?

This feels like you’re watching a novel unfold on the big screen for better or worse. The budget must have saved a ton by not having an editor because nothing feels left on the cutting room floor. Of all the horrors seen in the movie during this film, the worst one has to be father time. I’m typing this from the afterlife, but seeing the people around you turn to dust from this 20,000-hour-long movie was horrifying.

Although, it is impressive that Chapter 2 features different types of scares to have something for everyone. There are: Jump scares, body horror, suspense thriller and much more wrapped in a terrifyingly effective package.

Shoutout to the designers on this for creating some fantastic designs. From the creepy set of an amusement park maze to the disfigured creatures Pennywise summons, it all shows the creativity that went into making this. Truly, the production and design had a field day coming up with the most screwed up ideas. Millennials are about to move back in with their parents for more than just being broke, but being scared by sights in Chapter 2.

It is just a shame though that sometimes, these cool sequences and sets can be thrown off by too much CGI. The designs themselves are great, however, the CGI creating these visuals can make this dissonance in your mind where it sticks out as fake, so it hard to be fully in the moment. This still doesn’t stop the film from scaring my soul out my body and leaving the first of many bodily messes ushers have to clean after Chapter 2 screenings.

Verdict: Usually, a film’s Blu- Ray release gives an extended director’s cut, this might be the first time I want a shortened cut. The extra fat really hinders this while and as much as I enjoyed every second, I shouldn’t have left the theatre feeling like a just ran a marathon.

This film has some of the best scares and comedy released of any film this year. Ready or Not and Chapter 2 have very few issues, but those issues are big enough to hamper this from being the five stars movies they can easily be. One needed a punch up writer, while the latter had its editor “floated” which left the experience feeling bloated.

Fantastic performances from the cast, great writing combined with some brilliant directing make this ambitious sequel worth the price of admission. It’s better than the first in some ways, worse in other but definitely still makes for a fun watch with a crowd.

What’s the best horror or comedy of 2019 so far? What other great films were greatly worsened by a long runtime? What is your favorite IT moment? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

Review Overview

Twenty-seven years after their first encounter with the terrifying Pennywise, the Losers Club have grown up and moved away, until a devastating phone call brings them back. (via IMDB)

Overall Score

Great

Pros:

Tons of different & effective horror

Best comedy of the year (somehow)

Excellent performances from adult & kid cast members

Character interactions

Cons:

No human's life-span is long enough to finish the movie

Unnecessary filler/scenes

CGI reliance on effects, that work better practically

Your Rating:User Rating:

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/it-chapter-two-review-a-strong-reminder-to-give-clowns-the-middle-finger/feed/0Spider-Man Game of The Year Edition Drops Todayhttps://thenerdstash.com/spider-man-game-of-the-year-edition-drops-today/
https://thenerdstash.com/spider-man-game-of-the-year-edition-drops-today/#disqus_threadWed, 28 Aug 2019 18:37:58 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=112422Spider-Man might not be able to play with his MCU friends anymore, but the PS4 has lots of toys for the web-slinger to play with the Game of the Year Edition. The one year anniversary for Spider-Man is coming up on September 7th. The folks at Insomniac and Sony have released Marvel’s Spider-Man Game of […]

]]>Spider-Man might not be able to play with his MCU friends anymore, but the PS4 has lots of toys for the web-slinger to play with the Game of the Year Edition.

The one year anniversary for Spider-Man is coming up on September 7th. The folks at Insomniac and Sony have released Marvel’s Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition today, just in time to distract fans plans from bum-rushing Sony offices, while celebrating the occasion.

The Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition comes with all of The City That Never Sleeps DLC. Those three chapters take place after the game’s ending, tying up loose ends while raising new questions for the sequel.

The DLC by itself before cost $25, but now the base game and the DLC are packaged together for $40. However, the physical version of the game won’t have everything on disc, instead, the DLC will be on a voucher. Sony must have used Windows 95 to burn the DLC on that disc because a year later it’s still not finished.

Making History

Sony said that Spider-Man sold over 13.2 million copies worldwide as of last month. Those eight figures enough to dethrone the previous best selling superhero game Batman: Arkham City. This came along with the news that Sony bought developer Insomniac after 20 years of having a working relationship.

Insomniac made the Spyro, Ratchet & Clank and Resistance series for PS 1, 2 & 3 respectively. They made games for Sony for years without ever putting a ring on it, before moving on to other projects such as the Xbox One exclusive Sunset Overdrive.

Do you think Spider-Man can capture lightning in a bottle again with the sequel? What is the best superhero game ever released? Will you be picking up Spider-Man Game of the Year Edition? Leave your comments below!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/spider-man-game-of-the-year-edition-drops-today/feed/1Mario Kart Tour Is Ready to Burn Rubber Off Your Phoneshttps://thenerdstash.com/mario-kart-tour-is-ready-to-burn-rubber-off-your-phones/
https://thenerdstash.com/mario-kart-tour-is-ready-to-burn-rubber-off-your-phones/#disqus_threadWed, 28 Aug 2019 16:55:18 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=112389After being exclusively on Nintendo platforms for decades, Mario Kart Tour is coming to mobile phones to tear up the streets while you’re on the street. This edition of Mario Kart is going to be free-to-play kart racer, featuring new tracks based on real-world locals. Players will see familiar sites inspired by Tokyo, New York […]

]]>After being exclusively on Nintendo platforms for decades, Mario Kart Tour is coming to mobile phones to tear up the streets while you’re on the street.

This edition of Mario Kartis going to be free-to-play kart racer, featuring new tracks based on real-world locals. Players will see familiar sites inspired by Tokyo, New York and Paris just to name a few. Also, there will be classic tracks with new takes on them to get your drift on.

Rainbow Road now bounces and shakes to give players that added difficulty that the map always needed right. Said no one on a track where drifting to close or too wide can send you falling straight off to the last place, this new addition seems tongue-in-cheek. (The comment section is going to be wild for this map)

The trailer shows off a lot of familiar mechanics returning that veteran players might recognize. Karts transition into gliders as they take flight, drift boosting and Luigi taking down opponents while passing them with a sociopathic look, its all back here.

The Journey to Mario Kart Tour

Mario Kart Tour held a closed beta for U.S and Japan players, where it gave a taste of what to expect from the in-game economy. Additional karts and gliders can be earned through a slot machine-like system. There are also perks, for example, playing as characters like Luigi on Luigi’s Mansion will net a bonus item slot.

Mario Kart Tour was announced last year, initially being scheduled to release before March 2019. This is before hitting a series of speedbumps that delayed the game. Nintendo’s statement of the delay was that it was to “improve [the] quality of the application and expand the offerings after launch,” Nintendo said during an earnings report.

The game is being co-developed by DeNa, who also worked with Nintendo on Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Mario Kart Tour hits Android and iOS devices next month on Sept. 25th.

Do you think Mario Kart Tour is worth taking for a spin? What is the best mobile game you’ve played? What is the best Mario Kart title? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/mario-kart-tour-is-ready-to-burn-rubber-off-your-phones/feed/0Move Over Area 51, Spider-Man Fans Create an Event to Storm Sonyhttps://thenerdstash.com/move-over-area-51-spider-man-fans-create-an-event-to-storm-sony/
https://thenerdstash.com/move-over-area-51-spider-man-fans-create-an-event-to-storm-sony/#disqus_threadFri, 23 Aug 2019 16:46:54 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=111746Sony is facing backlash this week from fans and actors alike after news broke of Spider-Man being pulled from the MCU. So, naturally, fans have created an event to storm Sony and “bring our boy home”. After the internet storms Area 51 with its armed soldiers, their ghosts are apparently aiming their sights at Sony […]

]]>Sony is facing backlash this week from fans and actors alike after news broke of Spider-Man being pulled from the MCU. So, naturally, fans have created an event to storm Sony and “bring our boy home”.

After the internet storms Area 51 with its armed soldiers, their ghosts are apparently aiming their sights at Sony next.

The raid is being set for the California Sony offices through a Facebook event hosted by three fans. Oct. 19th gets sticky as fans are going to dress in Spider-Man costumes and protest for nine hours in Cali heat. Sony had a statement released on their behalf this week regarding the whole situation.

“Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise,” the spokesperson said. “We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have him continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film.”

Marvel (Disney) and Sony made a deal back in 2015 to develop Spider-Man films together. His first appearance was the following year in Captain America: Civil War. Since then, Spidey has appeared in five MCU movies with his latest adventure raking in over $1 billion at the box office.

This situation is stemming from Disney reportedly wanting a 50/50 split with Sony. Their current deal just gives Disney 5% on Spider-Man solo films but free of charge use for any of the MCU projects like Endgame.

The Real Civil War Starts

Actors and fans have voiced their thoughts over the matter within the last couple of days. Stan Lee, Spider-Man’s creator, died last fall and his daughter Joan Celia Lee spoke on the matter yesterday (Via TMZ).

“Marvel and Disney seeking total control of my father’s creations must be checked and balanced by others who, while still seeking to profit, have genuine respect for Stan Lee and his legacy,”

Lee went on to say when her father died, that no one from Disney or Marvel reached out to her. She also said they have commoditized his work from day one and that no one “treated my father worse than Marvel and Disney’s executives.”

Spider-Man himself Tom Holland has unfollowed Sony on Instagram following the news. Holland’s Avengers costar Jeremy Renner also had some choice words on Instagram as well.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/move-over-area-51-spider-man-fans-create-an-event-to-storm-sony/feed/1Ready or Not Review: Half Suburban “Get Out”, Half Movie of The Year Contenderhttps://thenerdstash.com/ready-or-not-review-half-suburban-get-out-half-movie-of-the-year-contender/
https://thenerdstash.com/ready-or-not-review-half-suburban-get-out-half-movie-of-the-year-contender/#disqus_threadThu, 22 Aug 2019 20:32:36 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=111444Title: Ready or Not Release Date: August 21st, 2019 Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures/ Walt Disney1 Director: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Tyler Gillett Release Format: Theatrical Ready or Not is an eccentric film that is funny, thrilling and dark wrapped into one bloody entertaining package. This year’s best-kept secret is finally here. The film centers around a bride […]

Ready or Not is an eccentric film that is funny, thrilling and dark wrapped into one bloody entertaining package. This year’s best-kept secret is finally here.

The film centers around a bride named Grace (Samara Weaving) on her wedding night that must survive being hunted by her inlaws until dawn. She scavenges the gigantic estate for whatever she can to fight her way out. She learns that that devil doesn’t only wear Prada but also other hard to pronounce designer brands and their coming to kill her.

Typically, the groom’s family is not trying to kill the bride at least until after a couple of passive-aggressive Thanksgivings. Seeing such on sight energy is enticing, it has me saying “I do” to rewatching this.

This is a film that takes a lot of risks in its narrative storytelling and pays off very well. The payoff comes in the form of crazy kills, tense sequences and bizarre story.

Nothing is Thicker Than Blood

The movie does a fantastic job of building tension to the looming hunt while letting you get to know this messy family. This rich family is petty as hell and crazy with the film does a good job of painting who each character is. Although it’s surface level on many of them, it’s more than enough to tell the narrative.

Weaving carries the film with a great breakout performance as Grace. She goes through so many emotions throughout the night such as love, fear, and even hateful madness. You see it all on her contorted face, you hear those blood-curdling screams of despair, there’s a wide range of emotions on display.

You sympathize with her and react the same way to all the craziness happening around her. I can’t remember the last time I wanted a lead in a thriller to make it to the credits more than Grace.

Everybody leans into their part and looks like their having fun here. The best moments are these characters interacting with each other.

The drugged up spoiled daughter Emilie is the worst in the best possible ways. She’s not only a danger to herself but everyone else as well. Yet, every time she messes up they keep giving her a more dangerous weapon, which just gives more hilarity.

There’s plenty of fun twists that make you wonder how this all might end. The only other grip of mine is that one of the major twists didn’t get enough time to breathe. It changes up Ready or Not in a way that makes the new dynamic refreshing shortly before the credits hit.

Frights for Nights

Some people think it’s tacky for a bride to wear anything but white, but Ready or Not has Grace wearing only red. Blood and some sick deaths pop up throughout the runtime. Just when things are getting light, the film shoots you with a death that chills your spine.

Death is a real thing and the story does a great job of showing you no one is safe from the start. Just when you’re starting to like a character, they’ll get the ax. I can see why Drake has trust issues now.

I do like the element of the movie keeping you guessing if there a supernatural element. This guessing also extends to what might be around the next corner. There are so many instances of scenes making my body tense up from some great jump scares.

The pacing of the film is breezy with the film’s unheard of runtime in this day and age of 95 minutes. Not even comedies can get under two hours these days. However, the quick pace doesn’t leave a handful of characters feeling flat instead of like fleshed-out people.

A Great Mix

Verdict: Ready or Not is one of the best experiences you can have in the theatre this year. Whether it be the fun narrative, crazy characters or the horror that rarely lets you catch a breath.

The only thing flaws are scripts comedy needing a punch up as some chuckles could have easily been gut-busting laughs if delivered properly. These gripes aren’t even that noticeable and doesn’t stop this from being one of the best times in the theatre this year.

What’s the horror or comedy of 2019 so far? What is another great flick to watch with some friends? Are you excited this or could care less? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

Ready or Not Review

A bride's wedding night takes a sinister turn when her eccentric new in-laws force her to take part in a terrifying game.(via IMDB)

Overall Score

Great

Pros:

Weaving gives a fantastic performance as Grace

Great blend of comedy and horror

Supporting cast hams it up the best ways

Smooth Pacing

Cons:

More time with some characters would helped develop them

Comedy sometimes doesn't hit as hard it could

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You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/ready-or-not-review-half-suburban-get-out-half-movie-of-the-year-contender/feed/2Avengers vs X-Men Rumored for an “House of M” MCU Inspired Eventhttps://thenerdstash.com/avengers-vs-x-men-rumored-for-an-house-of-m-mcu-inspired-event/
https://thenerdstash.com/avengers-vs-x-men-rumored-for-an-house-of-m-mcu-inspired-event/#disqus_threadMon, 19 Aug 2019 15:34:07 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=111326Two of the biggest teams in Marvel clashing on the big screen may have just been leaked as Avengers vs X-Men is rumored to be in the works. This comes after Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige confirmed at Comic-Con a few weeks back that the X-Men are joining the MCU. The reports claim that […]

]]>Two of the biggest teams in Marvel clashing on the big screen may have just been leaked as Avengers vs X-Men is rumored to be in the works. This comes after Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige confirmed at Comic-Con a few weeks back that the X-Men are joining the MCU.

The reports claim that the catalyst this time for heroes fighting each other is not going to be over a one-armed man who shampoos with a ton of Pantene. Instead, they’ll fight over the two-armed Scarlet Witch who rinses her hair with both hands. Wanda aka Scarlet Witch snaps in the comics, causing a universe-altering catastrophe after the mental break down. In the comics, this spurs her former teammates to gun for her head.

Wanda’s next big appearance is in Phase 4 for the Disney+ series WandaVision along with the horror-themed Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness. This next big event for the MCU is said to not take place until Phase 6. Meaning, fans won’t see this come to fruition until about the mid-’20s.

This report is tied with a New Avengers lineup Marvel aims to assemble. The team is said to utilize people like Thor (Jane Foster), Black Panther, Spider-Man and Blade.

House of Marvel

The comic version of Avengers vs X-Men saw both teams fighting over the Pheonix Force. Mutant numbers were greatly depleted after the events of House of M and this could be the chance of rebirth for the species, while The Avengers only saw a threat.

Considering how many failed attempts The Pheonix has had on the big screen, Marvel is likely steering clear of this for the moment. However, using another Omega level mutant-like Wanda to be the catalyst for the teams to fight appears to be the route their taking.

Wanda is already established with audiences and they have time between Phase 4 & 6 to develop her true powers. Although, Feige may believe she’s already at that level if a recent interview with ComicBook is anything to go by.

“Wanda Maximoff, who is probably near the upper echelons of power — I contend she would have taken down Thanos if he hadn’t called the [army],” Feige said. “Right? It was done.”

Marvel has taken creative liberties when adapting their comic narrative to the big screen. Remember when everyone thought Cap was going to die like seven movies ago in Civil War? Yeah, the studio tends to do what they want.

Do you think Marvel Studios can pull off another three phases? Is it too soon to do House of M? What is the best MCU film to date? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com

]]>https://thenerdstash.com/avengers-vs-x-men-rumored-for-an-house-of-m-mcu-inspired-event/feed/0Mortal Kombat Film Says “Get Over Here” for New Cast Revealshttps://thenerdstash.com/mortal-kombat-film-says-get-over-here-for-new-cast-reveals/
https://thenerdstash.com/mortal-kombat-film-says-get-over-here-for-new-cast-reveals/#disqus_threadSun, 18 Aug 2019 01:58:39 +0000https://thenerdstash.com/?p=111107The franchise that spawned the ESRB rating system is ramping up production. Via THR, the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie hits a combo as it casts their Liu Kang, Jax, and Mileena. This news arrives after last month’s reveal of The Raid’s Joe Taslim joining the cast as the ice-cold fighter Sub-Zero. Ludi Lin is ready […]

]]>The franchise that spawned the ESRB rating system is ramping up production. Via THR, the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie hits a combo as it casts their Liu Kang, Jax, and Mileena. This news arrives after last month’s reveal of The Raid’s Joe Taslim joining the cast as the ice-cold fighter Sub-Zero.

Ludi Lin is ready to kick it as Liu Kang after starring in his previous efforts such as Power Rangers and Aquaman. Mehcad Brooks lights up a cigar to play Special Forces member Jax. Then, there is Sisi Stringer as half-Takartan half-Edenian, but fully dangerous Mileena.

The director of Aquaman and Insidious, James Wan, is attached as the producer of this project. Meanwhile, Simon McQuoid makes his directorial debut after only directing commercials before this. McQuoid directed the infamous “Micheal” ad for the PS3.

Fresh Blood

Keep in mind The Russo Brothers directed episodes of the comedy sitcom Community before directing Avengers: Endgame. So whatever James Wan and New Line see in this Australian director, it is enough to give him the biggest production the country has ever had.

New Line also produced the 90s films Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. This marks their return to the series and the bloody franchise’s return to the big screen. Over 20 years have passed since those projects came out, technology has improved along with Hollywood’s willingness to stick to the source material.

Shooting will take place in South Australia. We’ll keep you posted with the updates on the film’s production as the Mortal Kombat reboot is scheduled to hit theaters on March 5th, 2021.

Do you think the upcoming film will be any good? What’s the best Mortal Kombat character? What is your favorite Mortal Kombat game? Leave your comments!

Don’t forget to stay connected with The Nerd Stash on Facebook and follow me Twitter for the latest on nerd goodness.

You’ll either see me writing or adventuring around the city, planet or whatever. Not just in video games but in real life where things are HD! The life of a journalist/gamer gets no sleep, add being a 20-something in Miami and you got yourself a spicy recipe for insomnia. I’m always up for a good story; shoot me an email at damiangordon@thenerdstash.com